Racism

I'll start by saying this; no one is born with prejudice. It's an acquired trait. It is something that is learned from experience or teaching. Some individuals however are more prone to becoming racist than others. I think an inferiority complex plays a large role in that. Someone who has little to show when it comes to their own accomplishments will find it attractive to be able to claim all the achievements of all the people that are ethnically similar to them as their own. They have little to be proud of so they use their race to feel superior. Another big factor in the development of prejudice is that it can and often is passed down from one generation to the next. A racist parent will teach their children to feel the same way. Children are blank canvases and the ideals their parents teach them stick with them throughout their lives. This is what makes it such a difficult problem to solve. There is a small silver lining to that, and that is that if a philosophy can be taught, it can also be untaught. Among many circles in society racism is so deeply rooted that it's nearly impossible to purge. I think in recent months this has and is becoming increasingly apparent. Many would like to think that we've evolved as a society to be more tolerant than we have been in the past and I think that, to an extent, that's true. However that's not to say that prejudice isn't still prevalent and prominently on display in the world. I don't think it's impossible for anyone to be completely color blind and anyone who says they are is a liar. Saying that we're past racism is counterproductive because essentially it's denying that there is a problem when there clearly still is one. Putting curtain in front of a fire may take it out of eyesight but even though you can't see it anymore, it's still there. We can't just stick our heads in the sand. Unfortunately in order to make the steps to solve this problem, there's going to be some discomfort. Having open and civil dialogue is one of those crucial steps which for many is uncomfortable but that's kind of the point. Some medicine is bitter but necessary to heal a disease. Even though there has been a lot of progress made, I think there is still a long way to go before we can say that we are truly in a post-racial society.